Keep On Keeping On

 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

(1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)

 

This was the confirmation verse assigned to me by my pastor on the day when I publicly confessed my faith before the congregation. And I believe that he assigned it to me knowing my calling. He assigned it to me knowing that I was being led by the Lord into the pastoral ministry.

 

This verse certainly does speak to me, it certainly does minister to me, as I carry out this calling. It’s been a good reminder to me throughout the years. However, it’s a verse that speaks to all of us.

 

It speaks to all of us because, as we serve the Lord, we often become tired. As we seek to serve the church, we often become worn down. And as we deal with not only the people of our society who surround us from day to day, but also the children of God, we often become frustrated.

 

We are often left feeling unsatisfied. We are often left feeling unfulfilled. And we are often left feeling like our efforts are accomplishing nothing.

 

For this reason, we wonder if it’s worth it. We feel like throwing in the towel. In fact, we feel like giving up altogether.

 

And many times, we do just that. In our fatigue, we pull back. In our frustration, we give up. In our exasperation, we resign from the role we’ve been filling.

 

This can happen whether it’s a role we’re filling at church, at home, on the job, or in the community. We simply cease doing the things we’ve always done. And we no longer try to fill the needs that we once satisfied.

 

It’s in these circumstances that the words of the apostle Paul, in the passage above, speak to us. He encourages us to be steadfast, to be firmly based. He encourages us to be unmovable. He encourages us to be always abounding, always over and above, when it comes to the work of the Lord. And we’re to do so knowing that, in the Lord, our labor is never in vain.

 

No matter how things may seem, our labor is never meaningless. No matter how it may feel, our labor is never empty. No matter the apparent results, or lack of them, we can be assured that our labor in the Lord is always accomplishing something, even if we cannot see it.

Unashamed

 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

(Romans 1:16 ESV)

 

We often experience feelings of shame. And, at times, these feelings are legitimate. They are experienced rightfully.

 

We feel shame, for example, when our sin or wrongdoing is exposed. We are embarrassed because of what we’ve done.  We’re self-conscious because of the fact that our sin has become known. And we are humiliated because others are now aware of our specific shortcomings.

 

Other times, however, the sense of shame that we feel is unwarranted. It’s unjustified. And it is needless.

 

An example of this is brought out in the passage above. Many of us, although we are believers, are ashamed of the gospel. We are ashamed of the message of Jesus.

 

We’re ashamed of it because it’s at odds with the society in which we live. We’re ashamed of it because it’s not well-received by the people among whom we live. We’re ashamed of it because the gospel is rejected by those deemed wise, and because it’s not the popular view of our day.

 

For this reason, although we continue to trust in Christ, we keep our faith private. Although we have been called by Christ to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation and to make disciples of all nations, we fail to reach out. We speak of our faith, and we live our faith, only among those who share it.

 

However, if we rightly understood the power of the gospel, could we do so? If we rightly understood the power of the gospel, would we feel such shame? I believe the answer to these questions is “no.”

 

I say this because of the words of Paul in the passage above. He tells us, there, that he is not ashamed of the gospel. And he presents to us the reason for his lack of shame.

 

He was not ashamed of the gospel, he says, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. In this way, he’s referring to the fact that we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. And he’s referring to the fact that we are brought to faith, that we are enabled to believe, by the gospel (Romans 10:13-17).

 

Apart from the gospel, this is not possible. Apart from the gospel, we are unable to believe. And, apart from the gospel, we are not able to be saved.

 

This, then, leads us, as believers, to share the gospel with the whole creation. It leads us to make disciples of all nations. And it leads us to do so unashamedly.

As we’ve been led to faith by the gospel, we share it with others. As we have come to know the work of the Lord through the gospel, we share it with others. And as we’ve come to trust in Christ through the gospel, we share it with others.

 

We do so as we come to share the heart of God for the lost. We do so as we are led to desire the salvation of our neighbor. We do so, as we desire that none should be condemned.

A Mutual Encouragement

 “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

(‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:11-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

As we choose a church, and as we participate and interact with our church, we typically have one goal in mind: We want to be fed. We want to receive from the church. We want to be blessed by the church and its ministries.

We look for a church that checks off all of the boxes. Does it have a men’s ministry? Does it have a women’s ministry? Is there a Sunday School program? Is there an active youth ministry for our kids? Is there a nursery? Is there a music program? Are their small groups? And the list goes on and on.

If the church can’t fill all of our needs, we leave. If we don’t feel that we’re being fed, we leave. And we go off in search of a new church that will better do so.

Please don’t misunderstand where I’m going with this. We should be fed by our church. We should be blessed by it. If we have kids, and there is absolutely nothing for them at the church, it’s understandable that this might concern us.

The problem, however, is when we seek only to receive, and not to give. The problem is when we seek only to be served, and not to serve. The problem is when we seek only to be fed, and not to feed others.

We see in the above passage that, as Paul sought to visit the church at Rome, he desired to bless them. He wanted to impart some gift to them. He wanted to encourage them in their faith.

However, we see that he expected to receive from them as well. He sought their encouragement for his own faith. He desired that they might be a mutual blessing to one another.

You might object to what I’m saying, noting that Paul was an apostle. He was called by God to serve and to minister. And, for this reason, it’s only natural that he would desire to be a blessing to this congregation.

We must realize, however, that even if we aren’t an apostle like Paul, and even if we aren’t a pastor or a missionary, we are called by God to serve the church. We are called to be a blessing to others in the body of Christ.

Our concern, then, as we search for a church, our concern as we participate and interact with our church, should not be only what we might receive. We should concern ourselves also with what we might give. We should concern ourselves with being a blessing to others. And, in this way, we will be mutually encouraged. We will be mutually built up in faith.

Believing the Unbelievable

 “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

(Genesis 15:1-6 ESV)

We live in a society rooted in logic. We want everything to make sense to us. And we struggle with things that don’t fit that mold.

This is true not only in matters of practical life. It’s true also when it comes to our faith. We want the things of God to make sense to us. We desire to understand them. And if they don’t make sense, if they don’t seem rational, our tendency is to dismiss them or to ignore them completely.

Really, this is nothing new. Abram struggled with this in the passage above. He struggled with it as God made him a wonderful promise.

God told Abram that he was his shield, that he was his protector and defender. He told Abram that his reward would be very great, or that he was his very great reward. And, on the surface, most of us would love to have God say the same to us. We would love to receive such a promise from God.

However, as he looked at his life, it didn’t make sense to Abram. He was lacking one of the greatest, and one of the most basic blessings desired by men. At his advanced age, he remained childless. He lacked an heir.

It didn’t make sense to him that he could lack this blessing and be blessed by God. It didn’t make sense to him that he could lack this blessing while God was his shield. If God’s Word was true, he reasoned, he would have a child. If it was true, he would have an heir.

God then reassured him that he would have an heir. He reassured Abram that his very own son would be his heir. And God promised him that his offspring would be as many as the stars of the sky.

Again, logically, this didn’t make a lot of sense. But Abram believed God. And God credited that faith to him as righteousness.

We know how the story played out. God miraculously provided a son to Abram and Sarai in their old age. Even though they were past the age of childbearing, together they bore Isaac. And their family grew into the nation of Israel.

When things don’t make sense to us, when the things of God don’t make sense to us, it need not destroy us. Even then, we can trust God. Even then, we can believe his promise. And we can do so because God is God.

He is not limited as we are. He isn’t bound by the laws of nature. He isn’t in bondage to sin and its consequences. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t change his mind. What he says, he can do. And what he says, he will do.

We, therefore, can believe him. Regardless of what our mind tells us, we can believe him. And we can have the assurance that, like Abram, God will credit this to us as righteousness.

The Pleasure Principle

 “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

(‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2:10-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

We, in the United States, live in a very prosperous society. We live in a place where even our poor have an abundance compared to most others in the world today. And, with our wealth, we tend to pursue pleasure.

We buy the biggest and fanciest homes. We buy the most luxurious cars. We buy the most expensive clothing. We buy toys, with which to entertain ourselves. We go on lavish vacations. We buy excessive amounts of alcohol. We pay to be entertained and to have our desires satisfied.

This, we believe, is why we work so hard. This, we believe, is why we pursue success. We want to live the good life. And, as we’re able, we seek to appease our every whim and to satiate our every lust.

We are not satisfied with a simple existence. We are not satisfied with our needs being met. We’re not content with the monotonous, and find no happiness in the day-to-day. 

However, as Solomon discovered and recounted in the above passage, this is vanity. It’s meaningless. It’s nothing more than a striving after the wind. 

He recounts how he denied himself nothing that he desired. He tells of how he kept from himself no pleasure. This, he said, was his reward for his toil. But, in the end, there was nothing to be gained. 

This is only one aspect of life that Solomon found meaningless. His point, however, is that we pursue so many things that are just that. And we ignore the source of true meaning.

After pursuing meaning and lasting satisfaction in so many aspects of this life, he brings us back to the Lord. He encourages us, in chapter 12, to remember our Creator in the days of our youth, before life becomes hard. And he reminds us to fear God and to keep his commandments, which is the whole duty of man.

This, you see, is a good lesson for us. We learn from Solomon that the Lord is the only place where satisfaction may be found. We learn that he is the source of all that is meaningful. 

I’m not suggesting that it’s wrong for us to experience pleasure, or that pleasure itself is sinful. But it must not become an idol. We must not pursue it above all else, seeking from it satisfaction and relief from our distress.

Honoring God

“And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.”

(Genesis 18:1-5 ESV)

 

I find the above passage quite intriguing. It fascinates me because, as the Lord appears to him, Abraham offers to wash his feet, shade in which to sit, and bread to eat. He does so that the Lord might be refreshed before he moved on.

 

On the surface, this seems insignificant. We look at it as a mere example of hospitality, which is certainly commendable. But this is God we’re talking about.

 

Did he really need his feet to be washed? Did he really need shade in which to sit? Did he really need bread to eat? And did he really need to be refreshed?

 

As we think about this, the obvious answer is “no.” The Lord didn’t need anything from Abraham. Everything, after all, belongs to him. Everything that Abraham offered had been given to him by God. And if he truly needed anything, the Lord was perfectly capable of providing it for himself.

 

Not to mention that God is all-powerful. There is nothing that he cannot do. And this negates any need on his part.

 

Yet, as we read on in this passage, we find that the Lord graciously receives Abraham’s service. He graciously receives these acts of hospitality. He receives the calf that Abraham had prepared and set before him and the two angels who were with him, along with curds and milk.

 

The question I ask myself, as I read this passage, is this: Why did Abraham offer this service to the Lord? Why did he offer to God his hospitality? Did he truly believe that the Lord needed that which he brought?

 

In all reality, as the Lord stood before him, Abraham understood that he needed none of these things. He understood that there’s nothing he had to offer that the Lord needed. He was, rather, honoring him in the only way that he could. He took from the resources God had entrusted to him, and served him as he was able.

 

The same, you see, is true of us. The Lord does not need anything that we bring to him. He doesn’t need anything that we offer him. He doesn’t need our offerings that we drop into the plate each week. He doesn’t need our worship or our prayers. Nor does he need our acts of service.

 

Without any of these things, God lacks nothing. With these acts of honor and service, he gains nothing. And with or without any of these things, God is still God.

 

All that we offer is his to begin with. It’s something that he has entrusted to us. And if he truly needed anything, he could provide it for himself.

 

This is true even of the ministry in which we engage. Does the Lord need my preaching and teaching? Absolutely not. There are many others who do a far better job of it than I. Not to mention that the Lord needs none of us.

 

It’s quite humbling to realize this reality. But how true it is. All that we have finds its origin in him. We offer to him only that which is already his. And, as we offer it back to him, we do not satisfy a need that he possesses.

 

We simply honor him in the only way that we can. We give to him only what we have to give. God, however, graciously receives the honor we offer him. He graciously receives the gifts that we bring. And he graciously receives our acts of service.

 

We do not deserve to have our gifts received by him. We do not deserve to have our acts of service received by him. Yet he does so. And he does so out of his gracious love and mercy.

 

 

Loving Our Neighbor (Leggings & Lust)

 

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

(Galatians 5:13-14 ESV)

 

As believers, we take comfort in the great freedom we have in Christ. We take comfort in the fact that we can do nothing to earn or to become deserving of God’s blessings. And we take comfort in the fact that forgiveness and salvation have been provided to us as a free gift.

 

Yet, even though this is true, we still tend to get caught up by law. In our effort to live for the Lord, we tend to make value judgments. We make such judgments based on our own experience. And we, then, hold others to these standards.

 

One place we see this, and one place where it is argued extensively, is when it comes to the way in which we dress. If you, for example, attend a youth retreat or conference, girls are often told that they can wear only a one-piece swimsuit. Bikinis, in other words, are not allowed.

 

This rule is put in place because of a simple reality. Although it’s true of men in general, it’s especially true that teenage boys tend to struggle with lust. This, of course, is sinful. And being in the presence of girls, who are almost naked, does nothing to help in this regard.

 

This argument surrounds not only bikinis, but also leggings or yoga pants, because of their form-fitting nature. And many Christian women are quick to say that they should not be punished because of a problem possessed by men. They should have the freedom to wear whatever they please, and whatever they find comfortable. Men, they tell us, should deal with their own issue and not place the burden of it upon women.

 

Both sides of this debate have valid points to consider, and either can be taken to an extreme. Both sides of this debate also share something else in common: They focus their attention only on the other side of the issue.  They look only at what others can do for them, rather than what they can do for others.

 

It’s true that men are responsible for their own temptation and sin. The burden of controlling these desires cannot be rightfully thrust upon women. Men cannot and should not constrain women based upon their own sinful desires. They should not dictate to women what they should and shouldn’t wear. They must recognize their sin, confess it to the Lord, beseech his forgiveness, and seek his strength that they might live in a way that is pleasing to God.

 

Women, however, should consider the needs of those who surround them. They should not be concerned only, or even primarily, with their own desires or comfort.  In all things, they should seek to serve their neighbor. And this includes the clothing they choose to wear.

 

In saying this, I don’t intend to lay down any rules or guidelines for you. We must recognize that much of this is cultural. Here in the United States, it isn’t considered revealing or immoral for women to wear shorts. In India, however, for a woman’s ankles to be visible is considered quite risqué. Shorts are not acceptable even for men. And other standards, other definitions of modesty, apply in other parts of the world. It’s hard, then, for us to set a guideline that applies across the board in the church.

 

When I’ve traveled to India, where it is very hot, I haven’t worn shorts even though it would’ve been much more comfortable to do so. I concerned myself not with my comfort, but with the sensitivities of others. Here in America, however, I feel free to do so.

 

What it comes down to is this: Although we certainly do have freedom, we are not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. We are not to use our freedom as an excuse for sin. We are, rather, to use our freedom to serve one another.

 

Paul brings it back to the one standard that applies in every situation. He reminds us that the whole law is fulfilled in one word. And that word, to which he’s referring, is that we should love our neighbor as ourself.

 

Our focus as we make decisions, then, is not ourselves. Our focus is not our own desires. Our neighbor is to be our focus. And we’re to consider his needs ahead of our own.

Seeking Judgment

 

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them.”

(Luke 9:51-55 ESV)

 

Ministry, in our current day and age, is hard. As we seek to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation and to make disciples of all nations, we find that people are unwilling to listen to us. And we find that we are often rejected.

 

This can leave us frustrated. It can leave us upset. It can lead us to long for the end. It can lead us to long for the return of Christ. And it can lead us to desire the judgment of the wicked.

 

This is what was happening among Jesus’ disciples in the passage above. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately be condemned and executed. However, he sought to minister to the people along the way.

 

For this reason, he sent messengers ahead of him. They entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him.

 

They did not receive him because of his destination. They didn’t receive him because he was headed to Jerusalem. The Samaritans, after all, not only had animosity toward the Jews. They also had a different place of worship, Mount Gerizim.

 

When James and John saw this rejection of Jesus, by the Samaritans, they asked him if he wanted them to call fire down from heaven to consume them. Some Biblical manuscripts refer back to Elijah, who called fire from heaven to consume the troops sent by King Ahaziah. What they wanted, then, was the judgment of these Samaritans.

 

Jesus responded to this question by rebuking James and John. He reprimanded them. He corrected this wrong attitude displayed by them.

 

Again, there is a difference in some of the Biblical manuscripts. Although we don’t find it in some translations (ESV, NIV, & CSB), we do in others (NASB & KJV). They record Jesus, adding: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy people’s lives but to save them.”

 

Jesus came into the world not to condemn, but to save. He says it this way, in John 3:17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” This, then, was the attitude he expected from his followers. And it’s the attitude he expects from us.

 

Although it’s easy for us to become frustrated with the response of others to the gospel, we must never seek their judgment. We must never seek their condemnation. We must continue to desire and to seek their salvation. They, after all, are a people for whom Christ died.

Law & Gospel

 

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

(Acts 2:36 ESV)

 

As we reach out to the lost, we tend to make one of two mistakes. One mistake is that we preach only, or primarily, the law. We focus primarily on God’s commands. And the end result is that people are left believing that salvation is to be earned. The end result is that people are left in despair.

 

As the law is emphasized, people are left uncertain of their standing before God. They feel as though they must live up to his commands. And, because of their ongoing failures, they’re left unsure of whether they’ve done enough. In short, they have no assurance of their salvation.

 

The other mistake we make is to preach only gospel, which makes no sense apart from the law. We often do so, wanting to proclaim a positive message. We do so, wanting to encourage others.

 

However, unless we realize that we need to be saved, and from what we need to be saved, the gospel is meaningless. It ceases to be good news. People are left believing that their sin is acceptable to God. They are left believing that they are enough, and that they have done enough, to merit God’s blessing.

 

Both sides of this message are needed. Both law and gospel must be proclaimed. Then, and only then, will we be enabled to receive the grace of God and to possess the assurance of our salvation.

 

We see an example of this in the second chapter of Acts. As Peter was preaching to the crowds, he pulled no punches. He told them quite clearly that, although it was the desire and the intention of God, they had crucified the Christ. They had killed the very one attested to them by God.

 

We, then, see their response to this message. They were cut to the heart.  And they responded to him, asking what they should do.

 

At this point, Peter proclaimed to them the gospel. He told them to repent and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, assuring them that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Although they were guilty of murdering the Christ, forgiveness was offered to them. And so too was the blessing of God’s indwelling and power.

 

In the same way, we must proclaim both law and gospel. We must proclaim law to those who do not know their sin. We must preach law, by which our sin is made plain. We must proclaim law, by which we are enabled to see the punishment we deserve.

 

We must, then, proclaim gospel to the afflicted. We must proclaim gospel to those who see their sin and who are burdened by it. We must deliver them from their despair with the comforting balm of the gospel, that they might receive the forgiveness and the salvation of God, and that they might have the assurance of their salvation.

Lived in God's Grace

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

(Acts 1:8 ESV)

 

As believers in Jesus, we know that we are recipients of God’s grace. We know, in fact, that we can receive his blessing only by grace. It is not something that we earn.

 

We know and believe that we are forgiven because of Jesus.  We know and believe that we are saved because of Jesus.  We know and believe that, because he died on cross and rose from the grave, these blessings are available to all mankind.

 

They are given to us by the grace of God. They’re, in other words, a free gift that God bestows upon us. And they are received by us through faith.

 

Yet, although we understand this when it comes to our forgiveness and salvation, we think very differently when it comes to the life of faith. Although forgiveness and salvation are gifts of God’s grace, we tend to think that the Christian life is lived in our own strength. We tend to think that we live in it by our own effort.

 

We tend to think that any change in character is achieved by our own willpower. We tend to believe that others are blessed by our effort in serving them. And we believe that the gospel is proclaimed and disciples are made as we force ourselves out of our comfort zone to do so.

 

However, if the Christian life is dependent upon our effort, it is doomed to fail. If character reformation is dependent upon our willpower, we will absolutely remain unchanged. And if ministry is dependent upon our own strength and resources, it’s all in vain.

 

As we enter into the season of Pentecost, we’re reminded that all of life, as a Christian, is lived in God’s grace. We’re reminded that no aspect of our life is dependent upon our effort. Our forgiveness and salvation, our repentance, along with our service of both God and man, result only from the grace of God.

 

We’re reminded of this in the above passage. As Jesus left his followers to ascend into heaven, they asked him if, at that time, he would restore the kingdom to Israel. They wanted to know if, at that time, he would bring about the fulness of his blessing. And he told them that it’s not for them to know the times or the seasons fixed by the Father.

 

They, however, would receive power when the Holy Spirit had come upon them. And they would be his witnesses. They would be his witnesses right there in Jerusalem. And they would be his witnesses to the end of the earth.

 

Again, if this great work was dependent upon them, it would easily overwhelm them. It would be absolutely hopeless. But the good news is that it was not dependent upon them.

 

They would receive power from the Holy Spirit. He, in other words, would enable this work. It was by his strength that this seemingly impossible task would be carried out.

 

The same is true today. And this is a great comfort to us. It’s a comfort as we do not have to muster up the strength and willpower to carry it out. It’s a free gift that the Spirit of God will accomplish in and through us.

 

We must not hinder his work in our life, of course. But the victories will result from his power. They will result only by the grace of God, which he freely lavishes upon us.

The Undoing of Death

 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”

(Revelation 22:1-3 ESV)

When Adam and Eve fell, when they sinned in the garden by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God declared that they would die. This was the punishment incurred by their sin. They didn’t die, however, right away.

But God did remove them from the Garden of Eden. And, in this way, he denied them access to the tree of life. He denied them access that they might not eat of this tree and live forever.

Ever since that time, man has endured the consequence of his sin. He’s faced suffering and death. And we’ve all witnessed and been touched by this reality.

The other consequence of sin we face is that of hell. This, Scripture refers to as the second death. It refers to an eternity of suffering away from the presence and the blessing of God.

God, however, was not content to leave us in this state. From the time of the fall, God gave the promise of a Savior. And that Savior, of course, was Jesus.

Jesus was born into the world in the natural way, although he was not conceived by man. Being conceived by the Spirit of God, he did not bear a sinful nature, as do you and I. He lived the perfect life that you and I are unable to live. He, then, gave his life on the cross. He died on the cross, paying the penalty of our sin. And he rose from the grave, that we might be justified.

As the punishment of our sin has been paid, the consequence of sin will soon become a thing of the past. We see this in the passage above. When Jesus returns, and when the new heavens and earth come to be, our access to life will be restored.

We see the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, through the middle of the street of the city. The Father and the Son, then, are the source of this river of life. And, as it flows through the city, we will all have access to its life-giving waters.

In the same way, on either side of the river, will be the tree of life. And this describes not only a single tree, but an entire forest. The tree of life will grow abundantly and the fruit of this tree will be always available.

The leaves of the tree, we’re told, are for the healing of the nations. They restore the nations. All people will have access to this wondrous blessing.

No longer will anything be accursed, we are told. As sin is a thing of the past, so too will be its consequences. And we will live forever in God’s blessing.

Willing to Hear?

 

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

John 10:22-30 ESV

 

Among those who do not believe the gospel, a number of reasons for their lack of faith are given. Many, for example, insist that Jesus was not clear regarding his identity. They tell us that he was not clear when it came to his description of himself and his purpose.

 

This is really nothing new. We see the same excuse made above, as Jesus talked to the Jews during the Feast of Dedication. They stated that he was keeping them in suspense, that he was making them to doubt. And what they wanted to know is if Jesus is, in fact, the Christ.

 

Jesus responded to them, telling them that he had told them. It was plain to them in the things that he said and did. Yet, they did not believe.

 

We see, in the words of Jesus, that the problem was not with him. Their lack of understanding did not result from a problem with his communication skills. Nor did it result from a secretive or a mysterious nature that he possessed.

 

The problem was with them. They did not believe, Jesus said, because they were not among his sheep. They did not believe, because they were not his sheep. They did not believe, in other words, because they were not his people.

 

In saying this, Jesus was not indicating that some are chosen for salvation while others are not. He’s not suggesting that some are chosen to believe, while others are not. It’s not as if some have the inherent ability to hear and follow him, while others do not.

 

In our sinful state, none of us are inclined to hear or to follow him. In our sinful state, none of us possess the ability to understand him. In our sinful state, none of us have the ability to believe in him. Faith itself is a gift that is given to us.

 

He’s laying before them, rather, the difference between those who believe in him and those who do not. Those who are his sheep hear his voice. Those who are his sheep listen to his voice. Those who are his sheep receive what he says to them.

 

It’s these, then, who are known by Jesus. It’s these who follow him. And it’s to these that he gives eternal life.

 

The fault, then, for their lack of understanding was their own. The fault for their lack of faith was their own. It was their unwillingness to listen that stood in the way. It was their stubborn refusal to hear that stood in the way.

 

And the same, you see, remains true today. Jesus has made clear to us who he is and what he has done. But will we hear?

 

Jesus’ sheep, his people, his followers, hear his voice. They listen to his words. They understand what he has taught. And they comprehend the testimony offered to them by his actions. They are known by him, and they follow him.

 

 

 

Unintentional Sin

 “If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven.”

Leviticus 5:17‭-‬18 ESV

Although we’re quick to acknowledge that we’re far from perfect, and although we’ll readily admit that we are, indeed, sinful, we do all we can to deny our guilt. We do all that we can to excuse it. And we do all that we can to explain it away.

We do this in many ways. One place it is seen, however, is in the realm of unintentional sin. It is seen in the area of inadvertent sin. 

If a sin was committed without forethought, we do not feel that we are guilty. If a sin was not committed deliberately, we do not feel that we are at fault. If a sin was committed unknowingly, or if a sin was committed without malice, we do not feel culpable.

In that case, we expect to be let off the hook. In that case, we expect to be given the benefit of the doubt. In that case, we expect to be exempted from any type of punishment.

It’s clear, however, that society holds us guilty for unintentional sin. We can see this as we look at the crime of homicide. And we need look only at the class of homicide defined as manslaughter.

When a person is convicted of manslaughter, it’s acknowledged that he did not purposely take a life. It’s acknowledged that his crime was not premeditated. By means of carelessness, however, he is guilty of taking a life.

A person found guilty of such a crime is also sentenced. He receives the due punishment of his crime. And, although his punishment may be less severe than that of another, who is guilty of first or second degree murder, he is punished nonetheless.

This is true not only in the eyes of society. It’s true also in the eyes of God. Scripture is clear that an unintentional failure is sin. It’s clear that wrongdoing, committed without malice, is still sin. And Scripture is clear that any such wrongdoing makes us guilty in the eyes of God. 

And not only are we guilty. Any such sin makes us deserving of punishment. And for such a sin, atonement must be made.

We see this in the above passage. We are told that, if a sin is committed unknowingly, and our guilt becomes clear to us only after the fact, we bear iniquity. And, in the case of Old Testament Israel, a sacrifice had to be offered.

The same, you see, is also true of us. Even a sin committed unknowingly renders us guilty. We are held accountable for even a sin committed unintentionally. This, in no way, excuses or justifies our sin.

It is a sin that needs to be confessed. It is a sin of which we must repent. And it is a sin for which we must seek forgiveness.

The good news, however, is that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin. He paid the penalty of the sins we commit both knowingly and unknowingly. Through Jesus, atonement for all of our sins has been made. And we receive his grace and mercy through faith in him.